Project partners arrived in Bulgaria for the project’s first face-to-face meeting

On 28^th February 2024, participants from ALLON_I3 Project, representing 6 regions, respectively from Denmark, Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Portugal gathered in Gabrovo, Bulgaria. This marked the first of four face-to-face meetings within the two-year project.

“During the day we reviewed the progress in various work packages, shared knowledge among project members, and coordinated and reflected on the upcoming phases of the project. Additionally, meeting in person strengthened the trust among our collaborative partners”, said the managing partner Nikolinka Hinkova, manager of the Regional Innovation Centre “Ambitious Gabrovo”.

Delivering Tools for Cross-Regional Innovation Ecosystems

ALLON_I3 stands for ALLIANCE ON INTERREGIONAL INNOVATION INVESTMENTS. This two-year project, financed by the EU ERDF Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument, Capacity Building Strand 2b, involves a total of 6 regional collaborative partners in:

• 3 less developed regions – Gabrovo, BG; Enna, Sicily, IT; Alentejo, PT, respectively represented by RIC_AG, PRISM and ADRAL (project coordinator);
• 2 regions in transition – Attica, GR; Nicosia, CY, respectively represented by AKEP and SYNTHESIS;
• 1 more developed region – North Denmark, DK, represented by NDEU;

and it is supported by the Norwegian Business Angel Network.

The project’s goal is to enhance the capacity of less developed regions to cooperate with more developed ones and ones in transition by shaping and interweaving a cross-regional innovation ecosystem with stronger value chains or new ones emerging. It also aims to create preconditions for interregional cooperation and investments in S3 and to facilitate the validation process of investment ideas through improved knowledge.

The key project deliverables include an outlined I3 ecosystem infrastructure, an action plan for improving the regional innovation ecosystem, a capacity building programme, an outlined funding mix, an outlook on possible future investment plans, and a report on internal reforms.

“On an overall level, I can confirm that we are on track with the project. We have reached important milestones on the path to key project deliveries”, stated Nikolinka Hinkova.

Meeting business and researchers

The participants were able to meet business people from Gabrovo (Sensate, Pastli, STS Electronics, STS Pack Holding, STS Print, STS Cosmetics, LS Tubes, Elna, Mechatronica, Impuls, Vernada, Unitraf, Sokol, AdTech, Tehnoles, DikTech, Lormet Bulgaria) and got familiar with their products at the exhibition arranged in the Library of the Technical University of Gabrovo.

Furthermore, the partners visited the TechPark of the Technical University of Gabrovo, in particular the engineering labs within the Centres of Competence and the Centre of Excellence, where research opportunities were discussed.

CONTACTS: n.n.hinkova@gmail.com